


On the Beach

by orphan_account



Series: Henry [3]
Category: Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries
Genre: August Bonus Trope, Post-Series, Rusty Plane
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-22
Updated: 2017-08-22
Packaged: 2018-12-18 12:13:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 600
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11874150
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Two scenes for the August bonus prompt. Plane problems and a serious shortage of  qualified mechanics on remote islands force Phryne and her father into an unplanned conversation while they look at the stars.





	On the Beach

“I really don’t think that’s going to fit.” 

Phryne examined the wrench in her gloved hand, held it stationary above the airplane engine like a surgeon in an operating theater, and scowled. 

“Of course it will. Just push.” 

This was the response from Baron Henry Fisher. 

The operating theater in question was a stretch of uninhabited beach in the Dutch East Indies. Phryne had been lucky to find a strip of sand wide enough to set the plane down when the engine began sputtering. She was grateful they were still alive. The Baron, unsurprisingly, had more grandiose expectations. 

“It’s not going to bloody work, Father. It’s not the right size.” 

“Well, where are your other tools, Phryne.” 

“In Melbourne. At the airfield. With my trained mechanic.” 

“Then what are we going to do to fix it?” 

“Very little, Father. Very little.” Phryne closed the engine cover and hopped down from her perch. “Nightfall will be here soon. Help me search for fire wood.” 

* * *

The night was clear and the ocean breeze a considerable relief after the day’s humidity. Waves lapped gently against the beach. The fire burned well. A full blanket of stars was visible, more so every hour it seemed to Phryne, as her eyes adjusted to darkness of the night sky. 

It would have been romantic, in another circumstance, with another — well, with Jack. There was no other — not now — and even her inner monologue needed to adjust to that truth. 

“The universe is expanding,” she said. 

“Hmmm?” Henry managed, rousing himself from a half-sleep. 

“That’s what the astronomers say,” she continued. “What Jack told me they say, anyway. Back at the observatory, before we began this journey.” _When I thought you might be dead_ , she didn’t say. 

Henry sat up and looked at his daughter carefully, her features unguarded and open in the dim moonlight. For once in his life, he was not only observant, but matched his intuition with an unselfish impulse. 

“Phryne, we should give this up tomorrow,” Henry began. 

“Give what up?” 

“This grand romantic gesture. It was a good effort, but even if we got back in the air tomorrow…” 

“Which is not likely...” 

“Even if we got back in the air tomorrow," he repeated, "we still wouldn’t make it London in time.” 

“No,” Phryne said quietly. 

She hated to admit defeat, but he was right on the math. They’d likely find a town within walking distance tomorrow, and could likely hire a boat to Denpasar in Bali, but the next steps towards a plane repair were hazy at best, and undoubtedly time-consuming. 

“What will you tell Mother?” she asked. 

“That you tried everything to help me,” he said evenly. There was a beat and then he broke out into his irrepressible grin, “whether I deserved it or not.” 

“You didn’t deserve it, Father,” Phryne laughed, responding in kind. “But Mother does.” 

“So do you and Jack, darling,” he said, surprising even himself with that intuitive leap. “Deserve it. Happiness.” 

Phryne just looked at him, wondering why this sudden generosity of spirit had appeared in the man in this most unlikely of places. 

“You do love him, don’t you?” Henry continued. 

“I believe he may be the great love of my life,” she answered. This was no time to hedge on honesty. 

Henry nodded. “I’ll get myself to Penang somehow and pick up the next British steamer. You get back to Melbourne.” 

“Thank you, Father,” she said simply. 

Henry looked up at the stars. “Tell me more about how the universe is expanding,” he said. 

“Well,” Phryne began, “If we had a telescope…” 

**Author's Note:**

> I've not yet written a story where the rusty plane made it to England in good shape. No time to start now ;-)


End file.
